Montgomery County, Kansas
/1671.069601}}|1}} |density_sq_mi = /645.203608}}|1}} |time zone = Central |UTC offset = -6 |DST offset = -5 |web = www.MgCountyKS.org |named for = Richard Montgomery |lat deg = 37 |lat min = 12 |long deg = 95 |long min = 44 }} Montgomery County (county code MG) is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 35,471. Its county seat is Independence, and its most populous city is Coffeyville. The Coffeyville Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Montgomery County. History Montgomery County was established February 26, 1867. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, in Canada, after successfully capturing two forts and the city of Montreal. When Kansas was admitted to the Union as a state in 1861, the Osage Indian reservation occupied a large tract of land near the southern border. The reservation had been established in 1825. After the Civil War ended, the Osage lands were coveted as the largest and last reserve of good land in the eastern part of the state. As early as 1866, the Osages were forced to cede tracts at the eastern and northern edges of the reservation. This treaty conceded white settlement on land in the eastern part of what is now Montgomery County. For a brief time, the Osages attempted to maintain a boundary at the Verdigris River. The Verdigris flows from north to south through the center of Montgomery County. From the west the Elk River joins the Verdigris at a confluence slightly northwest of the geographical center of the county. In 1867 Frank and Fred Bunker established a primitive cattle camp on the west side of the Verdigris south of the confluence. Like the Osages, the Bunkers thought they were beyond the boundaries of civilization. Early in 1869, however, settlers began to cross the Verdigris River, "at first under protest of the Indians, but the immense throng of settlers soon made all protests futile." Montgomery County was surveyed and organized in 1869; the governor appointed commissioners June 3. Law and government Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1998, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink without a food sales requirement. Geography According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.05%) is land and (or 0.95%) is water. The lowest point in the state of Kansas is located on the Verdigris River in Cherokee Township in Montgomery County (just southeast of Coffeyville), where it flows out of Kansas and into Oklahoma. ;Airports: Coffeyville Municipal Airport, Independence Municipal Airport ;Bodies of water: Elk City Lake, Elk River, Havana Lake, Liberty Lakes, State Lake, Verdigris River ;Highways: U.S. Route 75, U.S. Route 160, U.S. Route 166, U.S. Route 169, U.S. Route 400 ;State parks: Elk City State Park, Montgomery County State Park Adjacent counties * Wilson County (north) * Neosho County (northeast) * Labette County (east) * Nowata County, Oklahoma (southeast) * Washington County, Oklahoma (south) * Chautauqua County (west) * Elk County (northwest) Demographics ]] Map of Montgomery County (map legend)]] As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 36,252 people, 14,903 households, and 9,955 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile (22/km2). There were 17,207 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (10/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.77% White, 6.07% Black or African American, 3.19% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 3.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.08% of the population. There were 14,903 households out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93. In the county the population was spread out with 25.00% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,997, and the median income for a family was $38,516. Males had a median income of $29,745 versus $20,179 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,421. About 9.20% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over. Cities and towns Incorporated cities Name and population ( estimate): Annual estimates of the population to . Released . * Coffeyville, }} * Independence, }} (county seat) * Cherryvale, }} * Caney, }} * Dearing, }} * Elk City, }} * Tyro, }} * Liberty, }} * Havana, }} Unincorporated places * Avian * Blake * Bolton * Corbin * Jefferson * Le Hunt * Sycamore * Videtta Spur * Wayside Townships Montgomery County is divided into twelve townships. The cities of Caney, Cherryvale, Coffeyville, and Independence are considered governmentally independent and are excluded from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size. } |- | Cherokee || 12850 || || 541 || 5 (14) || 100 (39) || 0 (0) || 0% || |- | Cherry || 12875 || || 517 || 5 (13) || 103 (40) || 0 (0) || 0.10% || |- | Drum Creek || 18700 || || 537 || 6 (15) || 92 (35) || 0 (0) || 0.15% || |- | Fawn Creek || 23325 || || 2,036 || 11 (30) || 179 (69) || 0 (0) || 0.06% || |- | Independence || 33900 || || 2,342 || 14 (37) || 163 (63) || 5 (2) || 2.85% || |- | Liberty || 40275 || || 473 || 4 (11) || 113 (44) || 0 (0) || 0.19% || |- | Louisburg || 42900 || || 629 || 3 (9) || 185 (71) || 1 (1) || 0.75% || |- | Parker || 54525 || || 1,212 || 18 (47) || 66 (26) || 0 (0) || 0.37% || |- | Rutland || 61925 || || 302 || 2 (4) || 185 (71) || 2 (1) || 0.86% || |- | Sycamore || 69750 || || 835 || 5 (13) || 169 (65) || 7 (3) || 3.86% || |- | West Cherry || 76825 || || 239 || 2 (6) || 102 (39) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || |- |colspan=9|Sources: |} Education Unified school districts * Caney Valley USD 436 * Cherryvale USD 447 * Coffeyville USD 445 * Independence USD 446 Colleges and universities * Coffeyville Community College (Web site) * Independence Community College (Web site) See also * National Register of Historic Places listings in Montgomery County, Kansas References Further reading * History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook) * Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook) External links ;County * Montgomery County - Official Website * Montgomery County - Directory of Public Officials * Montgomery County - Information, Skyways ;Maps * Montgomery County Map, KDOT * Kansas Highway Map, KDOT * Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT * Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE Category:Counties of Kansas Category:Montgomery County, Kansas Category:Established in 1867